


Rest Now

by LuciaWilt



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Death, Gore, Heavy Angst, I mean it, M/M, Promises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 17:16:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15611115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciaWilt/pseuds/LuciaWilt
Summary: Levi lived for that promise.





	Rest Now

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been in the SNK fandom since the series began and of course the first time I write anything for it would be hard angst Eruri. I just wanted to note that when Erwin died, I stopped reading/keeping up with the manga, though I have a general idea of what is going on. This will be a divergence from the plot post chapter 84 I believe (the chapter Erwin dies).

When Erwin died, Levi was living for one singular purpose. That promise he made to Erwin before the man’s suicide run; to kill the Beast Titan. That’s all that Levi had been living for, for years and years and years after Erwin’s death. Some days…some days Levi would question whether it was worth it. Erwin found him in the dirt and the mud of the Underground. He picked him up by the scruff of Levi’s neck and kicked his ass over the wall to freedom; and it was the best thing to have ever happened to Levi in his entire life. Erwin had been this golden being, ethereal and immortal.

But he was not immortal. Erwin had been a man just like everyone else. And he died on that roof in Shinganshina because of Levi; and Levi would hold that on his shoulders for the rest of his life, no matter how long that was. The blood, Levi could still feel Erwin’s blood on his hands as he pressed against the gaping wound in Erwin’s side. There had been no point in doing so; yet Levi tried. Oh he tried, tried as though the serum was not sitting heavily in his hands. This part of him, that was so selfish and self-serving, it wanted to keep the man alive. Levi wanted nothing more in the world than to have Erwin by his side; but he could not do that to Erwin. His savior would finally get the rest he deserved.

Levi though; he could not rest, he would not rest until the Beast Titan was gone. And that’s what he did. He hunted that creature endlessly; on a mission that he would never tire from, not with his promise to Erwin on the line. 

Everything he did, every breath he took; it was towards killing the Beast Titan.

Now here he was, rain dropping against his face and warm stream water rushing over his hips and legs. Not ten feet away from him, laying chest down in the water, was the Beast Titan’s headless body. Zeke. That’s what his name was. Levi did not know where Zeke’s head was, nor did he particularly care. No. That was not a worry of his. He completed his mission.

And he knew that these would be his last few breathes. Zeke was not going down without a fight, perhaps because he knew Levi had been on the hunt all this time. In the fight, Zeke had taken out a chunk of Levi’s torso. How ironic, how poetic; it was the exact same injury Erwin had succumbed to. And how telling, that Levi was not killed by being eaten; nor was he killed on the battlefield. He was going to die halfway in a small creek, with the rain pouring down on him in the middle of the forest. 

“Ah. I’m so tired.” Levi whispered, feeling blood on his tongue. Yet he could not help but smile. He kept his promise to Erwin. In the process of cutting off Zeke’s head, he made sure to cut his nape just in case. Levi did not want that monster coming back. And he would make damn sure of it. The water continued to pour around him and on him, soothing in his dying state. Sooner or later, the animals would come and feed on his body. He knew that they would not go for Zeke’s, the titan blood too off putting. Though Levi did not mind that he would be the only one to be eaten. There was something beautiful about it, being able to give his body back to those creatures that were so free, unlike how he had been for most of his life. 

A shadow passed over Levi’s body, and a part of him thought it was either a storm cloud or an animal already here for his carcass. Though when he looked up through tear stained eyes, because he felt pain and happiness just like everyone else, he spotted an angel; golden and blazing even in the cloudy weather.

“Levi.”

Erwin’s voice was just as Levi remembered it. The sound hit Levi right in the gut that was now missing. Over years and years, he had bene holding onto that last bit in his memory. “Levi. My darling.” Erwin’s voice. It had Levi crying harder. 

“I did it Erwin. I kept my promise.” Levi gasped, the blood hurting his throat as he spoke. Zeke’s attack must have taken a part of his lung as well for now he could barely breath. The quietly rushed around his body as he cried. “I never gave up.” 

And Erwin smiled. So soft and so gentle and Levi could not hold back his gasp and his sob. “I know. You did so well Levi.” His grey eyes watched as Erwin knelt down beside him in the shallow water, just like he had all those years ago; the day they first met. This Erwin was whole; his arm and his torso not missing. This Erwin was wearing the crest upon his body; wings of an angel that saved Levi too many times to count. “I know and you can rest now. I know you are tired Levi.” Erwin whispered; and Levi could not help but crack a small smile. He wanted to keep his eyes open, to watch Erwin just in case the man disappeared, but he couldn’t. His eyes slipped shut for a moment for Erwin was not wrong. Levi was so, so damn tired. 

“I am.” He said back, barely audible over the light water of the creek and the rain, but he knew Erwin heard it. One of those big hands reached down, brushing along Levi’s cheek.

“No tears Levi. No tears, not anymore.” Levi tried to stop his sobs but he couldn’t, only causing Erwin to give him a sympathetic small smile. “Alright. That is alright.” Erwin reached down with both his hands and lifted Levi into his arms, the green Survey cloak nearly wrapping up Levi as well. And the smaller man had expected for himself to be in pain, the gaping wound in his side an obvious reason for that. Though he felt nothing other than warmth and the firm press of Erwin’s chest. “Rest Levi.” Erwin whispered into his hair, right on his temple, as the blonde man carried him out of the water. Rain still pitter pattered down onto them, but Levi could not care. Not anymore.

He could finally rest; he could rest because he completed his promise.

He could rest because he was where he needed to be.

Right in Erwin’s arms.

~’~

Hanji already had an idea as to what had happened when they found out both Levi and Zeke were missing. Having taken the older Titan shifter hostage, she presumed it was only a matter of time before Levi took action into his own hands. Yes, Hanji was not surprised at all. And she tried to stave off the “kiddies” as Levi called them, from joining her on her search. She tried, but they were adamant, especially Eren; considering his relation to both of the men missing.

The rain was an unfortunate addition to their search, but it was nothing she had not handled in the past. So off they went, marching through the dense forest; looking for the captain and the Titan shifter. Jean and Connie would call out his name every few moments, Sasha following suit right after them. Eren seemed more than frantic, with Armin a similar state of worry; and Mikasa hid her worry well, though Hanji could still tell the other Ackerman was concerned. Levi never ran off by himself. And he NEVER ran off with the enemy. 

Hanji almost wished it took longer for them to find Levi and Zeke. It was Sasha that found them first. Her tracking skills impeccable; she caught a hint of Levi’s scent and lead the way. Mikasa helped them through the last of the brush and they all wished they had not come upon the scene. 

Zeke was clearly dead; head missing and not anywhere in the direct vicinity. That had Eren rushing through the water, checking on his relative first. Then they all seemed to spot Levi at the same time. Perhaps…perhaps they saw this man, this human as immortal. Perhaps they saw him as hard to take down as the Armored Titan. Yet there he was, clearly dead on the bed of the stream; pillowed by wet moss. He nearly looked as though he were just asleep if it were not for the last bit of blood still slightly staining his chin and the giant chunk of his torso missing. Hanji felt tears burn her eyes; and everyone around her was tearful as well, crying audibly and silently. 

It was the exact same way Erwin had died all those years ago. 

Eren tripped in the water and landed at Levi’s side, just at the same time the other kids rushed over; and Hanji followed slowly after. Her heart was breaking, shattering as she watched them cry over Levi’s corpse. 

“Levi!” Eren cried, begging and pleading for Levi not to go. But… no… he was dead. Mikasa brought Eren into her arms and held him as he sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. And Hanji just watched, ankle deep in the water that flowed around her. But she would not cut into their mourning, at least not yet.

There may seem to be a selfish aspect of it, the fact that they have mourned soldiers quicker than this; that they have lost well over a thousand since the Scouts were founded. Yet no one, no human had ever affected them in such a way as Levi. Erwin was close, but Levi…he was freedom incarnate. He was a bird that could just soar above the rest of them. And they all thought he had been so free of pain and suffering.

Yet they had been too late to see that he was a slave to the dead more so than anyone. It was clear who he did this for.

Slowly the kids trickled away, with Mikasa finally pulling Eren away from Levi’s corpse. That just left Hanji. She had swallowed the tears and the pain, and held them down even as she finally walked over to Levi. His skin at this point was blue. Not that it was particularly cold outside. It was just that he lost more than likely a majority of his blood; that and the rain and the stream water. His hands were almost folded on his chest, neatly; just like in life. Hanji knelt down and sat upon her feet. 

“Oh Levi.” She whispered, pulling the goggles away from her eyes. Tears flowed freely, not caring that the kids were picking up Zeke’s body. Now was her time to mourn this being, this creature…this human. He looked so soft against the emerald green moss. Just a little away from him, not five feet, were tiny white flowers. When she saw them Hanji could not help the small sob. “I should have seen it earlier Levi.” She said. Rain continued to drizzle down upon all of them. When she looked back at Levi’s gentle face, Hanji could not help but crack a tiny smile. Levi’s lips were turned up. She would not call it a smirk, nor a smile; just a touch of grace.

Just a touch of peace.

Hanji brushed some of the hair that had stuck to his face in the rain away, “I’m so sorry Levi. I’m so sorry.” Hanji sobbed, louder this time; enough for one of the kids to pause and look over at her. But she didn’t care. “I’m so sorry Levi, and I know my apology means nothing, but I have to say it. Perhaps if I spoke up, perhaps if I said something.” She stopped again, the tears becoming too much to bare.

Once her throat loosened up again, she leaned over him; cupping his chilly face in her hands. “But…but I know you are with him now. I know Erwin is with you, guiding you on. And it hurts so much that you left me here all alone, but I know that you are finally happy.”

They decided to not take his body back; maybe in honor of Erwin’s death. She suspected it was something Levi would like, to know that he was connected to Erwin in such a way. But before they headed back to the camp, she knew what she had to do. 

Levi’s final resting place was beside the creek in the rain.

He died with a smile on his face as he held gentle white wild flowers. 


End file.
